Fifty Plus (50+) - Wife's too fast, saved by an old friend

So my wife was having a tough time keeping up on her Trek 7300 and decided to pick up a new Opus hybrid several weeks ago, and has been leaving me in her dust. Tired of looking at her back, I've tried everything...I lost a lung trying to keep pace with her on my Trek 7.5fx, took out my tri-bike last week and had to keep my nose on my front wheel to stay close...

...finally I dusted off my old Gitanne roadie that I hybridized a few years ago...we did 60km yesterday, 30km into a stiff wind, we averaged 30km/hr, 30 back with the wind averaging 42km/hr

She's now looking at a roadie;)

her new bike...my old bike

Dang, that Gitane is pretty! I remember them from back in the day. Hope you saved the old drop bars & friction shifters (can't tell if they're still there or not) in case you want to go full roadie again, or if you sell it as a collectable.

Bet it's a sweet ride.

It's quite the ride...i kept the drop bars and shifters, but had to hybridize because of my back, that's why my tri-bike sees little use.

Apparently this Gitane was used in a part of the Tour de France (in the 70's?) and was given away as a contest prize by the Gitane cigarette company...it has a full Shigano race drive train, Mavic aluminum 700x25 rims, and had a Brooks saddle...found it at an lbs owner's estate auction

Serial #: B3

Good for her!

It's a scandal how many wives get dragged along in the wake of their husbands' bikes because they're not at the same fitness level. Now you see it from the other side.

Why do you think you have to keep up? Ride at your own level!

Good for her!

It's a scandal how many wives get dragged along in the wake of their husbands' bikes because they're not at the same fitness level. Now you see it from the other side.

Why do you think you have to keep up? Ride at your own level!

If i rode at my own level, I would ride alone:(

you misunderstand...she never biked when young and has always been frustrated because she always felt she was holding everyone back. So after a couple of years, she picked up some nice bikes and now leads on the trails and road rides.

She's developed into an outstanding cyclist, and at 54, people half her age can't keep up...I'm still holding my own. That's her catching up to me on a recent ride:

That looks like my garage door, albeit we just painted ours green. Now I have to go across to the street to use a neighbor's white garage door if I post any pictures of my bike.